Hallgrimsson understands financial windfall World Cup qualification will bring to the FAI

FINANCIAL WINDFALL: Heimir Hallgrimsson’s open objective is to leave the team in a better place but equally important is his tenure improving the FAI’s financial outlook. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Heimir Hallgrimsson’s open objective is to leave the team in a better place but equally important is his tenure improving the FAI’s financial outlook.

Until the association’s €40m of debt is alleviated, stagnation is inevitable.

Reliance on the Government to fund the burgeoning League of Ireland academy structure is out of necessity and concerns among the 251 staff of redundancies is rife.

Senior executives have fled the building, with former women’s and girls’ football director Hannah Dingley framing the restrictions of her watery strategy in May by openly declaring; “We have no money”.

Tournament qualification constitutes the major boons for balance sheets.

Ireland embark on their latest tilt at reaching the World Cup on Saturday week against Hungary and although Fifa has yet to announce a breakdown of their €771m prize pot, the minimum windfall for each of the 48 nations is expected to number no less than €11m.

Such a cash injection occupies the thoughts of the Ireland manager, even if his sole focus is results.

He saw first-hand how the riches generated from his native Iceland participating in the 2016 Euros and 2018 World Cup revolutionised the domestic scene.

He’s mindful of the bigger picture as the six-match sprint between Portugal, Hungary, Ireland and Armenia jostling for a top-two finish looms.

Co-hosting Euro 2028 with the UK federations will bank millions but there’s three years of hardship unless the ripple effect of a summer extravaganza in USA, Mexico and Canada is sealed in the interim.

“Whatever the situation is there, I'm really happy with the board not to include me in all of those thoughts, just allowing me to focus on the team and the campaign,” he said about the FAI hierarchy’s interaction with him.

“It's always going to mean a lot if we qualify for the World Cup. The financial thing is leading up to 2028 until the Euros are hosted here. So the financial plan is really well structured, to pay down the debts until 2028.

“If we qualify it's going to change everything. We can do more for the youth teams and players, to free up money to invest in infrastructure and stuff.

“It's going to change a lot financially and mentally. It's going to bring joy to everyone, not only the FAI.” 

Very true. A first World Cup since 2002 is within his eyeline, a position he hasn’t deviated from since taking charge just over a year ago.

Four points from the two games against Hungary at home and Armenia away three days later would be an acceptable return, in his view. Portugal are considered the hot favourites to book the sole automatic transatlantic ticket, with the other three competing for the runners-up and playoff berth next March.

“The inevitable thing is we need to beat Hungary away,” he noted about the notion of drawing with the Magyars on the opening night.

“The plan is to go for it here and try to win at home. That's always going to be our objective.

“Then the game will be played and we need to read the game as it goes, if they have the upperhand or whatever.” 

Hallgrimsson’s hand is strengthened by the return of Chiedozie Ogbene from injury. An Achilles rupture denied the new manager the Corkman’s service for the last six of his 10 matches at the helm.

Ogbene is back in action, part of a five-player delegation from Ipswich Town in the squad, and likely to start on the right wing.

Observing Milos Kerkez floundering defensively in his first two games in a Liverpool shirt has encouraged Ireland fans about Ogbene’s scope to prosper.

Hallgrimsson wasn’t willing to highlight the €50m purchase’s susceptibility, in public at least.

Ditto about the Hungarians, reeling from three defeats in their last four, including a 6-1 aggregate Nations League playoff defeat to Turkey in March.

“He’s had a big money move to the Champions of England and we’re talking about his weakness,” smiled the Ireland chief.

“We need to focus on what we can do in this case. We would see some weaknesses but we don't target him as a weakness, no.

“To say in the media that Hungary has weaknesses here and there wouldn’t be appropriate for me.

“It's not going to help us at least but we recognise some things that we would really like to target when we play them.

“Chieo has this directness. He's lightning fast, can do brilliant things on his own but he’s also really a good squad player who works hard and is honest.

“It's early days for him after coming back from a terrible injury and I can see he's growing game by game.

“Ipswich are not pushing him, giving him some minutes and then they're resting him, which is necessary. Once he gets flying he can be lethal for opponents.” 

Sharing the skies with the Portuguese for a World Cup spot by November would be the Christmas present everyone across Irish football would embrace.